World Kidney Day (WKD) and the International Women’s Day 2018 fall on the same day this year, March 8, giving us the opportunity to reflect on the importance of women’s health – specifically their kidney health.
WKD is an annual, global campaign to stress the importance of kidney health, to reduce the impact of disease, and to educate people on the need for organ donation. It is a joint initiative of the International Society of Nephrology and the International Federation of Kidney Foundations.
WKD is celebrated with events such as kidney screenings and marathons. Are Your Kidneys OK? was the theme of the first WDK, held 13 years ago in 66 countries. The event (the second Thursday of every March), is now celebrated in over 90 countries participating in more than 1000 events.
The theme for 2018 is Kidney & Women’s Health: Include, Value, Empower. Chronic kidney disease affects approximately 195 million women worldwide. It is currently the eighth leading cause of death in women, with nearly 600,000 deaths each year. More information on women’s kidney health is here.
Fellows Dr. Pooja Koolwal (second from left) and Ryan Kunjal (right) along with Dr. Koolwal’s spouse (far left) and Dr. Kunjal’s wife and son.
Acknowledging the importance of the kidneys will occur on more than just March 8. March, after all, is Kidney Month! WU Nephrology celebrated and spread the word about kidney health and disease on March 4, when our team, Wash Ur Kidneys, participated in the 2018 National Kidney St. Louis Kidney Walk.